The CRTC says it has received 12 applications to operate radio stations serving urban indigenous Canadians in major markets.
The federal agency has received two applications for stations in Vancouver, three for Calgary, three for Edmonton, two for Toronto and two for Ottawa.
Five organizations have submitted applications: the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA), Wawatay Native Communications Society, Northern Native Broadcasting, VMS Media Group and First Peoples Radio.
The CRTC says it will announce a public process to consider these applications at a later date, if appropriate.
Frequencies became available in these markets after the CRTC revoked Aboriginal Voices Radio’s licences for its radio stations last June.
The CRTC says AVR was guilty of numerous, serious and repeated instances of non-compliance with the regulations and the broadcaster’s conditions of licence.
AVR has since filed an application with the Federal Court of Appeal.
The court stayed the CRTC’s revocation and ordered that AVR’s licences remain in effect until the appeal is determined.